From February 10–12, 2023, thousands of book lovers, rare-book dealers, and scholars will converge at the Pasadena Convention Center for the 55th California International Antiquarian Book Fair. Recognized as one of the world's largest and most pre-eminent exhibitions of antiquarian books, the California Book Fair gives visitors a chance to see, learn about and purchase the finest in rare and val... [more]

It is with great pleasure that the Northern California Chapter (NCC) of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) announces the winners of the 2021 George Robert Kane Memorial Scholarship, Nicholas Pillsbury and Cecelia Shaw. This year, we had two exceptional candidates who were quite similar. Both were highly recommended, both are currently working as booksellers, and both want t... [more]

The 2020 winner of the prize is Nolin Deloison Baum of Oakland, California. His collection of culinary high spots is centered around Georges Auguste Escoffier. “I have collected books since I learned to read. After getting my BA, I went to culinary school in Paris and eventually became a professional cook. Fluent in French, it was natural that I also study, and, of course, collect, the historica... [more]

Thousands of book lovers, booksellers, and scholars will converge in Southern California for the 53rd California International Antiquarian Book Fair over the weekend of February 7-9, 2020. One of the nation's largest exhibitions and sales of rare books, the 2020 California Book Fair celebrates the 100th anniversary of Women's Suffrage with a special exhibit -- Votes for Women -- documenting women'... [more]

In commemoration of the centennial of the 19th Amendment, the 53rd California International Antiquarian Book Fair, February 7-9, 2020 in Pasadena, will feature a special exhibit and panel discussions on the women's suffrage movement. This celebration will highlight the contributions of successive generations of women, from protofeminists like Mary Wollstonecraft, to the abolitionists and the tempe... [more]

The ABAA Women's Initiative organized a panel at the 52nd California International Antiquarian Book Fair to discuss the publication "Zamorano Celebrates 90", which highlights important women collectors from Southern California. Project coordinator and editor Jean Gillingwators and first woman president of the Zamorano Club Judy Sahak spoke about how the project came to fruition. Designer and print... [more]

The 52nd California International Antiquarian Book Fair returns to the Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, California, over the weekend of February 8-10, 2019. Recognized as one of the world's largest and most prestigious exhibitions of antiquarian books, the 52nd California International Antiquarian Book Fair returns to Northern California, Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 10, 2019 ... [more]

An announcement from the Northern California Chapter of the Antiquarian Bookseller's Association of America: Announcing the Winners of the inaugural California Young Book Collector's Prize. The quality of all of the applications made it extremely difficult to choose the winning candidates, and the committee would like to extend its sincere thanks to each and every applicant who took the time and e... [more]

The Thomas Mann House has paired up with ABAA-members Brad and Jennifer Johnson of Johnson Rare Books & Archives in Covina, California, to recreate the author's personal library during the years he spent in California. This informative video details the exciting project... We asked Dr. Nikolai Blaumer, Program Director of the Thomas Mann House, about this ambitious project: ABAA: What happened Tho... [more]

The Northern & Southern California Chapters of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America would like to announce The California Young Book-Collector's Prize. UPDATE: Deadline extended until December 15. Submissions should be sent as a .pdf file to Ben Kinmont, Chair of the Northern California Chapter of the ABAA, at bkinmont@gmail.com. Most great collectors started when they were young, a... [more]

Pardon the pun, but the 51st California International Antiquarian Book Fair is going to be a monster event! Not only are about 200 rare book dealers from around the world bringing the cream of their respective crops to Pasadena, but it's also the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and there's going to be a huge exhibit to celebrate the classic book. From the organ... [more]

It's time for another batch of rare books and print ephemera that our members will be bringing to the 51st California International Antiquarian Book Fair in Pasadena, CA next weekend. (You'll find the first batch here...) Stoker, Bram, DRACULA'S GUEST AND OTHER WEIRD STORIES London, George Routledge & Sons, 1914. First edition. 12mo. 200pp. With "First Published in 1914" on the copyright page. Pub... [more]

ABAA members will be exhibiting any number of rare and highly sought-after items at the 51st annual California International Antiquarian Book Fair (Feb. 9-11, 2018) in Pasadena, CA next month. Here is a small sampling to whet the appetite. Ward, Lynd. Signed block print from Gods' Man , . An original print from Ward's first and most famous wordless novel. Printed from the original woodblock on Jap... [more]

2018 marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The novel remains a staple on high school reading lists, while Hollywood versions of this timeless tale have made Frankenstein an icon of modern culture. To mark this literary milestone, the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America is hosting a special exhibit and panel discussion about the enduring legacy o... [more]

The controversial “California Autograph Law” has been amended by an ABAA-sponsored bill, AB 228, which was signed into law by the Governor of California last week and is now in effect. Many ABAA members were involved in the effort to pass a bill to address the unforeseen consequences of the previous law, among them Brad and Jen Johnson, Marc Kuritz, Laurelle Swan, and Vic Zoschak. It is the ti... [more]

Regarded as one of the world's largest and most prestigious exhibitions of antiquarian books, the California International Antiquarian Book Fair gives visitors the opportunity to see, learn about, and purchase the finest in rare and valuable books, manuscripts, autographs, illustrations, vintage photographs, and much more. Preview some of the most-unusual, rarest, and most-beautiful rare books and... [more]

“The greatest beauty is organic wholeness, the wholeness of life and things, the divine beauty of the universe.” -- from “The Answer” by Robinson Jeffers Within his lifetime, the work of Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962) was at various points revered, deliberately shunned, and generally neglected. In 1932, the poet was featured on the cover of Time magazine; but by 1948 his publisher, Random Ho... [more]

Longtime ABAA-member John Windle has a new endeavor, The William Blake Gallery, a new exhibition space in San Francisco dedicated to works created by the massively influential 18th and 19th century poet, artist, and engraver. The gallery is the largest of its kind devoted solely to the artist, as well as the largest collection in the world of pieces by Blake available for purchase. The opening exh... [more]

Eight years ago, shortly after buying Eureka Books, we acquired a collection of Japanese interment posters. These broadsides had been posted in early 1942 throughout California, Oregon, and Washington, notifying “all persons of Japanese ancestry” that they were to be banned from coastal areas. The relocation of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese immigrants could not be organized... [more]

It's a town well-known for the Silver Screen—a place where dreamers flock in search of stardom, celebrity, fame, and fortune. But beyond the glitz and glam of Hollywood Boulevard, Rodeo Drive, and movie studio backlots, the City of Angels possesses a rich, complex literary history that transcends genres, styles, and aesthetics. While perhaps not quite the powerhouse of arts and letters as some o... [more]

Promotional literature is an underappreciated area full of fascinating ephemera and colorful images of a golden age that may never quite have existed except in the minds of civic boosters and advertising executives. Now that the campaign for tourism dollars is largely fought online, the tools of promotional literature are changing; but collectors can find a fascinating bric-a-brac of tri-fold broc... [more]

The Petaluma Branch of the Sonoma County Library discovered that an "old and irreplaceable map has disappeared from collection". It is the 1852 'Map of Lands of Petaluma', and probably is the original plat map from the first survey of the settlement. The map is similar to this one held by UC Berkeley: http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/hb8779p17c/ If you know its whereabouts, please contact Kate ... [more]